About 11 hours after the splashdown, Mr. Johnson said there weren't any credible reports about debris falling on land or anyone recovering satellite parts—contrary to widespread Internet speculation about purported remnants of the satellite falling to the ground in Canada or elsewhere.

Earlier that year, in what became known as the "miracle on the Hudson", an Airbus 320 airliner made a splashdown after hitting birds and losing both engines shortly after taking off from LaGuardia airport.